Parents, students prepare for first day of kindergarten

David Lassman / The Post-Standard Kindergarten orientation at Van Buren Elementary School in Baldwinsville. Teacher Molly Scuderi (center) leads students to her classroom. On left is Shannon Williams and on right is Lenah Penafeather.

Baldwinsville, NY -- Kennedy Collins is very excited to start kindergarten next week, but her mother is nervous.

“She’ll be fine, I’m the one who is emotional,” said Jayme Pyle, Kennedy’s mother. “I’m really nervous, I’m on the verge of tears just thinking about it.”

To help make the transition to kindergarten a bit easier for youngsters and their parents, the Baldwinsville Central School District offered an orientation this morning.

“I think today helps,” Pyle said. “I’m so happy to see her school, since it’s been years since I’ve been in an elementary school.”

Parents and students at Van Buren Elementary School were able to spend time in the school, meet the kindergarten teachers and ask questions.

“The purpose of today is really to welcome the children to kindergarten and to welcome their families into the school experience,” said Terry Bick, Van Buren’s principal.

During the orientation, parents heard information from the school nurse, transportation safety officer and president of parent teacher association. Youngsters were introduced to their kindergarten teachers, received a taste of a classroom lesson and rode a short trip on a school bus.

Dan Collins, Kennedy’s father, said he is happy his daughter had the chance to spend time in her classroom.

“It’s really good for her to get to spend an hour or two with her classmates before school starts,” Collins said.

Kennedy Collins, who said she is excited to do crafts in school, will be in Molly Scuderi’s class.

“They’re little babies and they’re thrown into this thing called school and are expected to do all these routines, and it doesn’t happen easily,” said Scuderi to the group of parents. “It’s a lot of work for all of us, but we’ll get through it and by October you’ll see them settling in.”

Amethyst Clark said she’s happy about starting school on Sept. 8. In particular, she is interested in learning how to read, she said.